Cool Japan Fund to raise cuisine awareness abroad
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State-affiliated Cool Japan Fund says it will launch comprehensive Japanese food outlets overseas featuring restaurants, shops and cultural experiences.
Its first such outlet will be in London early next year through a JV, Ichiba UK, with Japan Centre Group, a Japanese-run company based in the British capital. Cool Japan Fund will invest up to £3 million (US$3.9 million) for the establishment of the outlet.
It will be called Ichiba, modelled after Italian food marketplace Eataly, and will include a food zone offering Japanese cuisines, a retail zone for groceries and other products from all over Japan, and Japanese cooking demonstrations.
Japan Centre Group, established in 1976, runs two Japanese grocery stores and 11 restaurants.
Similar outlets are planned for other major European cities, including Milan and Paris, says Cool Japan Fund.
Japan’s government hopes to boost agricultural exports by releasing information about Japanese food culture abroad and supporting moves to sell Japanese specialties in overseas markets.
Questions & Answers
Q.Which company will Cool Japan Fund partner with for its first overseas outlet?
Which company will Cool Japan Fund partner with for its first overseas outlet?
Cool Japan Fund will partner with Ichiba UK, a joint venture with Japan Centre Group, for its initial overseas food outlet. Japan Centre Group is a Japanese-run company that is based in the British capital.
Q.What is the financial commitment from Cool Japan Fund for the London outlet?
What is the financial commitment from Cool Japan Fund for the London outlet?
Cool Japan Fund plans to invest up to £3 million, which is equivalent to US$3.9 million, for the establishment of its first comprehensive Japanese food outlet. This funding is specifically for the London location.
Q.What kind of offerings will the new Ichiba outlet provide to customers?
What kind of offerings will the new Ichiba outlet provide to customers?
The Ichiba outlet will feature a food zone with various Japanese cuisines and a retail zone selling groceries and products from Japan. It will also host Japanese cooking demonstrations for cultural engagement.
Q.Where else in Europe does Cool Japan Fund intend to open similar Japanese food outlets?
Where else in Europe does Cool Japan Fund intend to open similar Japanese food outlets?
Cool Japan Fund has plans to establish similar comprehensive Japanese food outlets in other major European cities following the London launch. Milan and Paris are among the cities identified for future expansion.
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